IP consultancy firm advises local firms to get protected

CEBU, Philippines - International IP (Intellectual Property) consultant Lighthouse IP Group, urged local firms to start considering intellectual property protection, as this is one of the most important shield to fight-off competition and thrive in the highly competitive global market.

The Netherlands-based firm, which has established an outsourcing office in Cebu since 2009, is now looking at the local market to seriously look at the IP protection, especially for the manufacturing companies, creative sector, among others.

Lighthouse IP Group chief executive officer (CEO) Willem Geert Lagemaat said in a press conference that there is a need for Filipino companies to be aware and be more educated of the benefits in protecting their businesses, by applying trademark or patent registration.

A trademark is a sign that distinguishes the products (trademark) or services (service mark) of an enterprise, which includes the container of the products or the packaging.

If it’s only a name or a designation of an enterprise, it is termed trade name. A collective market on the other hand, is used by different companies under the control of the registered mark owner. It distinguishes the origin or any other common characteristic of their products and services.

A Patent on the other hand, is an exclusive right granted by the state though IPO-Philippines to a patent owner for a product, process, or an improvement of a product or process for a specified period.

A Patent for inventions, however, cannot be shortened because of some technical requirements, even in the United States Ong said it will take five to 10 years for the inventor to be given the patented rights.

The company, through its Philippine office in Cebu, registered as Lighthouse Software Cebu Inc. Is offering its services to the local companies, encouraging Filipino companies to join its global pool of clients who are getting expert advises on IP from the company.

In the Philippines, Lagemaat said despite the government’s push to promote IPR (Intellectual Property Rights), there are still a number of companies which still has to understand and be aware more of the huge benefit they have to get once their products, services are protected.

“People [in the Philippines] should be aware that it’s a threat to their businesses, [if their products and services are not protected]. It is something that they can benefit from in the long term,” Lagemaat said.

He said in the Philippines, further education and awareness on IPR is needed, while the world is becoming smaller and threat of counterfeits is largely growing.

“They [Filipino companies] tend to think that its important [IP protection]. Education and awareness is the biggest challenge now for the Philippines,” Lagemaat emphasized.

Lighthouse IP Group, is a worldwide content provider, intellectual property data expert, and a knowledge management specialist providing clients access to unique and unrivalled resources.

The company also offers a wide range of services derived from its IP expertise. Its core services comprise of intellectual property information, data, and translations.

Its IP services include access to a database of 11 million Japanese patents and 4.9 million Chinese patents. It also provides annotated patent alerting, IP strategy consulting, IP data translation and patent alerts in emerging countries.

“We have developed a know-how to access any IP data around the world that would allow us to provide relevant information to our customers in very short time horizons,” said Lagemaat.

In Cebu, Lighthouse IP Group, is employing over 300 people, and is expected to expand in numbers in the next few months. The Cebu outsourcing operation, is serving the company’s different clients around the world, and it’s one of the fast growing operations in all its network of office across the globe. (FREEMAN)